New Greece law bans social media for under-15s

Greece's parliament recently passed a law banning children under 15 from using social media. Greece is joining a growing international trend of countries imposing restrictions on young individuals' use of social media platforms. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis first announced the plan in April, utilizing TikTok to explain the necessity of the restrictive measure.

After a vigorous debate that lasted from Thursday to Friday in a parliamentary session, Mitsotakis's conservative New Democracy party utilized its majority to pass the bill, which received no support from other parties, according to the Ana news agency.

The opposition socialist Pasok party abstained from voting in favor of the bill after seeking an alternative proposal that would have established a ban for children under 13 and implemented parental controls for 13- and 14-year-olds. Other left-wing and nationalist parties chose to vote against the bill. The law is set to go into effect on January 1, 2024, requiring social networks to implement age verification and imposing stringent penalties on companies found non-compliant.

Australia became the first country last year to introduce such a social media ban for children under 16. Over 20 countries have enacted similar laws, as per an AFP tally. Critics argue that social networks employ addictive algorithms to keep children engaged on their devices, and express concern over potential mental health damage from excessive screen time. However, the bans have faced opposition from free-speech advocates, with skeptics questioning the effectiveness of such restrictions.